Starting Over (Islamic Fiction, Z.M)

Chapter 19 - (Stares)

Hearing my alarm clock go off the next day was one of the worst things in the world. My head was pounding so hard I thought it was about to explode, my eyes were still puffy from all of the crying I did last night and my heart felt like someone drilled a big hole in it leaving me feeling completely empty inside.

Turning on my side, I looked at my alarm clock. It was only 5:30 AM. Closing my eyes again, I tried to go back to sleep. Even though today was Tuesday and I had a long day of lectures. I didn’t feel like getting out of bed. So I decided I would just skip today’s lectures and stay in bed all day, avoiding the cruel world outside.

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Hearing my door squeak when it opens, I mentally wake up but keep my eyes shut hoping that whoever came to my room would decide not to bother me.

“She is still sleeping.” I heard someone whisper. No kidding genius, leave me be.

Hearing footsteps come inside my room, I mentally groan at whoever decided it was okay to come bother me but I made no sign showing I was awake. The person walked to the end of my room and opened my curtains, making me turn to face the door and give my back to my now opened balcony.

“Wake up sunshine. We have Uni to go to.” I heard Waliyha’s soft voice say.

Groaning at her, I just pulled the cover over my head. Leave me alone.

“C’mon lazy head, you can’t sleep forever.” Aaroosa removed the covers from above me, making me shiver when the cold air hit my warm body.

“Go away.” I yelled, getting under the covers again and savoring their warmth.

“No, you are not going back to sleep. It’s 6:30 AM and we have to be there before 8. We already skipped yesterday.” She removed the covers again, this time she kept them out of my reach so I just curled up in bed and ignored her. I hated her so much.

Feeling someone set at the side of my bed and pinching my cheeks, I tried to turn the other way but another person pinched my cheeks making me so angry.

“God, can’t you two just leave me alone. I’m not going to Uni today, so just leave me to my misery.” I stood straight on the bed, yelling and startling both of them for a second.

“And why aren’t you going to Uni today?” Aaroosa asked sternly. Sometimes I think she is worse than my own mother.

“You know why.” I said grumpily as I let my body fall back to the bed.

“No, I don’t.” she put her hand on her hip and stared at me, waiting for my reply but I just ignored her.

“Because of the rumors.” Waliyha whispered and nudged Aaroosa.

Aaroosa raised an eyebrow and turn her head to face me, “Really? You are going to let those stupid rumors get in the way of your future?”

I didn’t answer her but my face said it all. My cheeks were flustered at the memory of what I read and heard and my vision was blurred from the tears that were threatening to fall. It may seem stupid but their words got to me more than I thought they would.

Waliyha sat straight next to my body and placed her hands on my shoulder for comfort, “Look Maggie, I’m not going to tell you to just ignore them because they are jealous. But what I want to say is; no matter what they say, it shouldn’t bother you because people who know you know that they are lies.” Her voice was soft and comforting.

Her words were somewhat true, but the number of people who believed this rumor were much more people than the people who didn’t. And that was all I could think about. How was I supposed to face all of those people who did believe the rumors? What if they said mean things to my face? I just couldn’t face people now, not like this.